TTITD
A couple of weeks ago, Burning Man sold out for the very first time in the history of the event. This represents a major shift in how tickets are perceived, and will likely affect the rate which they are purchased next year. Tickets are now a commodity being sold for ridiculous amounts of money on CL and eBay. Of course, there are plenty of good Burners who choose to sell for face value, because it's the right thing to do, too.
Three days ago, my coworker who has gone every year for 14 years, told me he found a ticket. He was trying to decide whether to take it, or to skip Burning Man and do something else for a change. I spent 5-10 minutes enumerating the reasons he should go. Among these are:
Turns out it was a ruse. I hadn't realized that there would be a way to make it work. After a conversation with my coworker for 15 minutes or so, we had worked out all the kinks of me being gone for a week. She emailed my boss and gave the green light. In my world, a green light from my coworker pretty much always means a green light for vacation.
That was Wednesday morning at around 11am. I immediately kicked into gear once I had permission. I emailed my camp to see if there was any possible space left for me to camp with them. I emailed the local Burner group to find a ticket. I emailed a campmate to see if there is space in her RV to get myself down and back.
48 hours later I had a ticket in hand, permission to camp with the Shame Project, transportation to the playa (but not back), and water arrangements made. I still need to figure out how I'll be getting my stuff there and back, and me back from the playa. Oh, and I need to get a list of gear and check it off as I acquire things. Plus I need to sew more fun clothes.
For now, I'm just basking in the glow of knowing I will be returning to that thing in the desert. My life changed forever the year I went to the playa. It's time to go there myself, let go of some of the demons from that voyage, and create new memories. It will be different this year, because I myself am different from the woman who first stepped out of the RV 11 years ago. I am wiser, more centered, and more prepared to accept whatever the playa gives me. I can let go of expectations, because I have none. I mean, the last time I went I found a husband and a whole new circle of friends. This time around, I have some very dear friends I will not let go of, but I am open to creating friendships, love, snuggles, sharing water and food, and exploring.
This is the most spontaneous thing I have done in a while. It feels good, and terrifying, and stressful. I have a ton of things to do at work to meet this deadline, including the development of three e-learning modules that need to be made, tested, and loaded before I leave on August 26th at the end of the day.
This summer has been a crazy ride. I would say it seems to be accidental in its pleasantness, but I know better. I planned on joining up with the Shame-bearers in February, and when I committed to doing the work and raising the funds I was committing to myself to do other kinds of personal, internal work as well. I thought I was playa-bound for a while, but then it didn't shake out that way. I am pleasantly surprised to see the tides turn on that. I am also thrilled to be able to go this year, when there is a project that scares me to my very core, and means so much. I cannot wait to sit in the swing on the playa, and read the shame we have collected. I know the playa will receive many tears from me this year. It is a time of mourning, and a time of weeping from joy. To forgive myself for making mistakes I could not have prevented, to forgive Matt for doing the best he could and still failing as a partner, to accept my body as it is where it is, and to acknowledge and see that the universe is abundant....these are all life-altering experiences as I move through them. Amazing. I can only express that I feel blessed by all that I have in my world.
I can't wait to get to the playa.
Three days ago, my coworker who has gone every year for 14 years, told me he found a ticket. He was trying to decide whether to take it, or to skip Burning Man and do something else for a change. I spent 5-10 minutes enumerating the reasons he should go. Among these are:
- The theme is Rites of Passage. It's appropriate that Burning Man sold out for the first time with this particular theme going on. The event will change in some ways forever after this one.
- He has camp placement, finally. Hushville, where he lives, was not initially placed. For this reason he had really seriously considered not going. Their camp is located centrally. Awesome.
- A ticket was offered to him. If a ticket for Burning Man is offered by the universe, you TAKE THE TICKET AND GO.
- The theme is Rites of Passage. On a personal level, I feel like I am in a place of great change. I want to be part of this theme.
- It has been 11 years since I last visited the playa. I wanted to bookend last year from pre-Matt to post-Matt, but couldn't because of money issues last year. I was just not hooked up enough to get that arranged.
- The Shame Project has affected me deeply, and I really want to go to the playa and collect Shame. I want to see the temple of Shame built in real space.
- Personal, spiritual growth.
- Memories.
- Adventure.
Turns out it was a ruse. I hadn't realized that there would be a way to make it work. After a conversation with my coworker for 15 minutes or so, we had worked out all the kinks of me being gone for a week. She emailed my boss and gave the green light. In my world, a green light from my coworker pretty much always means a green light for vacation.
That was Wednesday morning at around 11am. I immediately kicked into gear once I had permission. I emailed my camp to see if there was any possible space left for me to camp with them. I emailed the local Burner group to find a ticket. I emailed a campmate to see if there is space in her RV to get myself down and back.
48 hours later I had a ticket in hand, permission to camp with the Shame Project, transportation to the playa (but not back), and water arrangements made. I still need to figure out how I'll be getting my stuff there and back, and me back from the playa. Oh, and I need to get a list of gear and check it off as I acquire things. Plus I need to sew more fun clothes.
For now, I'm just basking in the glow of knowing I will be returning to that thing in the desert. My life changed forever the year I went to the playa. It's time to go there myself, let go of some of the demons from that voyage, and create new memories. It will be different this year, because I myself am different from the woman who first stepped out of the RV 11 years ago. I am wiser, more centered, and more prepared to accept whatever the playa gives me. I can let go of expectations, because I have none. I mean, the last time I went I found a husband and a whole new circle of friends. This time around, I have some very dear friends I will not let go of, but I am open to creating friendships, love, snuggles, sharing water and food, and exploring.
This is the most spontaneous thing I have done in a while. It feels good, and terrifying, and stressful. I have a ton of things to do at work to meet this deadline, including the development of three e-learning modules that need to be made, tested, and loaded before I leave on August 26th at the end of the day.
This summer has been a crazy ride. I would say it seems to be accidental in its pleasantness, but I know better. I planned on joining up with the Shame-bearers in February, and when I committed to doing the work and raising the funds I was committing to myself to do other kinds of personal, internal work as well. I thought I was playa-bound for a while, but then it didn't shake out that way. I am pleasantly surprised to see the tides turn on that. I am also thrilled to be able to go this year, when there is a project that scares me to my very core, and means so much. I cannot wait to sit in the swing on the playa, and read the shame we have collected. I know the playa will receive many tears from me this year. It is a time of mourning, and a time of weeping from joy. To forgive myself for making mistakes I could not have prevented, to forgive Matt for doing the best he could and still failing as a partner, to accept my body as it is where it is, and to acknowledge and see that the universe is abundant....these are all life-altering experiences as I move through them. Amazing. I can only express that I feel blessed by all that I have in my world.
I can't wait to get to the playa.